Sunday, June 13, 2010
Happy Birthday, Your Majesty (the video)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Susan reports:
Being American, I didn't know about that British comic institution, Horrible Histories, the self-described "savagely successful" CBBC TV show and book series. Also being American, I couldn't imagine our popular comedians using history as their inspiration; jokes about George Washington just don't seem to fly with the stand-up comics in Vegas, nor do you hear any opening monologues about Manifest Destiny on late-night talk shows. But the English are sufficiently comfortable with their history to support humor about it, giving us Blackadder and the Monty Python version of the Spanish Inquisition, and now the Horrible Histories.
Fellow historical author Margaret George introduced me to the Horrible Histories with these clips about the Hanover Kings (The 4 Georges: Born 2 Rule) and Henry VIII (Terrible Tudors). At once I was hooked, and spent far more time than I should have on YouTube looking for more.
But it's only been this month – just in time for his 350th anniversary of the Restoration – that the Horrible Histories crew has taken on Charles II. Amidst all the funny wigs and silliness, it's actually a pretty succinct overview of his reign (and there's even a shout-out for Hortense Mancini). Have fun!
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11 comments:
speaking as an Englishman, I find just this one quite enough!
Oh, that's too funny! Does remind me of vintage Python.
I -love- -love- Horrible Histories! This one is great.
Holly
http://www.wondersandmarvels.com
Thanks so much for bringing this wonderful video to my computer screen. I'm from UK (and a fellow historical fiction writer) and really love this stuff.
That's hilarious! I never even knew about that tv show. I think I'm going to have to cruise YouTube myself now.
I too love Horrible Histories! Great fun and you're right, they're usually pretty true, though hysterical.
Great fun! Thanks for posting it!
I laugh each time I watch this. I'm thinking the HH crowd could make me one awesome book trailer for "The Countess & the King", couldn't they? Though I'm not sure exactly how many books it would sell....*g*
I recently discovered this fabulous source of historical humour which you might also like http://harkavagrant.com/
Yes! Kate Beeton's Hark A Vagrant comic strips ARE fabulous. I'd stashed them away for mention in a future blog, but that's not a reason not to check them out now. Very funny!
OMG this is GREAT!! I love it. Thanks so much for turning me on to this over the top site.
Donna
Wish the U.S. would wake up and do something like this
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